CHESTER, Pa. --- A late surge by Widener University put the host Pioneers in the win column against the visiting Elizabethtown College men's basketball team Saturday by a final score of 76-66. Etown drops to 13-7 overall and 5-5 in the Commonwealth Conference with the loss, while Widener improves to 13-6 overall and 7-3 in the conference with the win and holds on to its share of first place.

Etown took a 37-30 lead into halftime, and Widener tied the score 52-52 with 8:06 remaining in the game. Widener went up 54-52 with 7:45 left, and by two minutes to go the Pioneers were up 67-59. Widener's Bilal McAfee scored 12 of his 14 points for the game in the final 7:45.

Etown's leading scorer was Kyle Conrad (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) with 12 points on five-for-nine shooting from the field and a two-for-three performance from three-point range. Jon Connor (Hershey, PA/Hershey) added 11 points and went four-for-nine from the field and two-for-four from behind the arc. Dan Keane (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin East) shot four-for-five from the field and totaled 11 points as well for Etown. Andrew Flynn (Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks West) was Etown's top rebounder, having pulled down five in 17 minutes while coming off the bench.

Casey Stitzel was Widener's leading scorer with 34 points on 10-for-14 shooting from the field, a six-for-nine performance from three point range, and an eight-for-eight effort from the free throw line. In all, Widener converted 20 of its 22 free throw attempts.

Etown will return to action at home Wednesday, February 11 in an 8:00 p.m. game against conference rival Juniata.